Gilmore and Mariano are meant to be
by stay gold
Summary: Rory's daughter and Jess' son meet, and well...you'll have to find out what happens
1. Good looking stranger

Disclaimer- I don't own a thing. The phrase the girl is singing is from an Of Montreal song titled Jennifer Louise.  
  
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A young girl at the age of seventeen was whirling around the kitchen as she swept listening to her cd player. Her brown hair flew in all directions as she danced.  
  
" Jennifer Louise you don't know me, but we're cousins, your mamamama and my mamamama are sisters." the girl continued to sing. Once the song ended and she took off her headphones.  
  
" Of Montreal, good taste." The girl turned around quickly to see who had said that to her. When she turned she was surprised to see an attractive dark haired young man standing before her.  
  
" Who are you and how did you get into my house?!" The girl asked startled.  
  
"Oh, excuse me for not introducing myself. My name is Harrison Marino. My dad is Jess Marino he used to live here in Stars Hollow. Heard of him?" Harrison asked.  
  
" Yes, but why are you HERE?!" She asked getting annoyed.  
  
" Well, my dad said just to come here and hang out till he got back from the diner. Your mom didn't tell you we were coming?" Harrison asked putting his hands in his pockets.  
  
" No, well kind of. She said an old friend was coming to visit, but she didn't say who." Just then Lorelei Gilmore (Rory's mom) came bursting through the front door.  
  
" Harry!" Lorelei exclaimed hugging the young man.  
  
" Grandma, you know him?" the girl asked stunned.  
  
" Of course I do! This is Harrison Mariano, Jess' son. Harry, this is my granddaughter McKenzie."  
  
" Nice to meet you McKenzie." Harrison said smirking.  
  
" Oh the same believe me, gram can I talk to you?" McKenzie asked pulling her grandmother away into the family room.  
  
" What is it honey?" Lorelei asked.  
  
" How do you know him?"  
  
" Well hun, Jess and your mother used to be good friends, Luke is Jess' uncle.."  
  
" I know all that." McKenzie said interrupting.  
  
"Well, Jess and your mom started going out, but when Rory went to Harvard they broke up, but always remained friends. Over the years your mom met your dad and had you and Jess met Harry's mom and she had him. I met Harry a couple of years ago when Jess came to visit; he's a good kid. You didn't meet him because that was the week you were staying at you dad's house." Lorelei explained quietly.  
  
" Oh." McKenzie said.  
  
" So, go talk to him." Lorelei said pushing McKenzie out into the kitchen. McKenzie came stumbling into the kitchen and found Harrison looking in the frig.  
  
" Thirsty?" McKenzie asked.  
  
"Actually I am." Harrison said smiling when he saw her.  
  
" What would you like? Coke? Sprite? Water?"  
  
" Um, I'll have a Coke. Thanks." He said when McKenzie handed it to him.  
  
" So, you are Jess' son. You look like him, from the pictures I've seen." McKenzie said sitting down at the kitchen table. 


	2. Rory, just Rory

McKenzie sat there not knowing what else to say. Interviewing the janitor for the school newspaper was one thing, but talking to a guy who looked like he could be an Abercrombie model was a totally different scenario.  
  
" So, whose your dad?" Harrison asked.  
  
" Well, his name is Ted McGregor. He and my mom are divorced though. What about you? What's your mom's name?" McKenzie asked.  
  
" Her name is Rachel Mariano, but she died a couple of years ago. From cancer actually." Harrison said sadly. Talking about his mom was never an easy thing to do.  
  
" Oh, I'm really sorry." McKenzie stated surprised.  
  
" Nah, don't be. She had a happy life." Harrison said sitting down across from McKenzie.  
  
" I'm glad."  
  
" So, I bet it's hard to have your mom and dad divorced." Harrison said, trying to think of conversation.  
  
" Yeah it is. They're really cool about it though; I mean they still talk and everything. I think they actually get along better now."  
  
" My best friend's parents were like that too."  
  
" What type of music are you into?" McKenzie asked trying not to stare at him.  
  
" I like indie-rock. Have you heard of Bright Eyes?"  
  
" Yeah, Fevers and Mirrors, great album. What about Death Cab for Cutie?" McKenzie asked.  
  
" Yeah, I have all of their albums. Hey, I know this is off subject but, has anyone told you that you have beautiful eyes?" Harrison asked, he didn't know why he said that afterwards.  
  
" No, well you just did, but no one else." McKenzie stated, giggling nervously.  
  
" Hey guys we're here." Rory said loudly announcing her presence as she and Jess walked in the kitchen.  
  
" Hey dad." Harrison said standing up.  
  
" Hey there son. I see you met Rory's daughter. I don't think I have though. Hi, I'm Jess." Jess said sticking out his hand to McKenzie.  
  
" Hi, I'm McKenzie." She stated shaking Jess' hand.  
  
" I know, your mom has told me a lot about you." Jess stated smiling. She looked so much like her mother, just with deep emerald green eyes.  
  
" Oh I see." McKenzie said smiling at her mom.  
  
" Hey there Harrison." Rory said hugging the tall young man that reminded her so much of the man she once loved.  
  
" Hi Ms. Gilmore." Harrison stated.  
  
" Oh please, Rory. Just call me Rory." She said laughing. 


	3. glances and walks

" So what are you kids up to?" Jess asked.  
  
" Um, nothing really. We were just talking." McKenzie stated.  
  
" Do you guys want to get something to eat? We were going back to Luke's." Rory said, checking the phone messages.  
  
" I'm not hungry. I think I'll hang here." McKenzie said sitting on the couch.  
  
" Yeah me too. I'm not that hungry." Harrison said looking at his father who winked at him. Harrison quickly bent his head down as his face blushed a deep red.  
  
" Okay you two. Have fun." Rory said walking out the door with Jess behind her.  
  
When the parents left Harrison sat at the other end of the couch.  
  
" So, what do you want to do?" McKenzie asked flipping through the channels.  
  
" I don't care." Harrison stated sneaking glances at McKenzie from the corner of his eye. There was something in the way her hair laid, the way her eyes lit up with every word she said, and the way she carried herself that left Harrison speechless.  
  
" Okay, well, we can watch tv or go for a walk?" McKenzie suggested. She too was sneaking glances at the boy that sat near her. There was something in the way his dark blue eyes looked right through hers, the way he dressed in his fitted, but not tight, jean pants and short fitted t-shirts, the way his messy hair laid unkempt on his head, and the way he smiled that made McKenzie get goose bumps.  
  
" Well, how about we go for a walk. I'd like to see the town through your eyes." Harrison said smiling as he looked her straight in the eyes and saw them sparkle.  
  
" Okay, um, let me just get my shoes." McKenzie said bolting up the stairs to her room where she sat on her bed and laughed softly. ' This is amazing!' she thought.  
  
" Ready?" Harrison asked meeting her at the front door as she came down the stairs.  
  
" Yeah, let's go." McKenzie said smiling.  
  
A/N- Okay I know that is really short, but I need your opinion. Should I make McKenzie already have a boyfriend like Rory had Dean? Or should Harrison have a girlfriend from where he lives that he isn't telling McKenzie about. OR! Do you have another suggestion?! 


	4. Don't cry over something that was never ...

" So, where are we going?" Harrison asked following McKenzie through the night.  
  
" I don't know. I'm just walking. Where would you like to go?" McKenzie asked.  
  
" Somewhere quiet." Harrison said smiling into the dark, hoping McKenzie didn't see his face.  
  
" It's quiet everywhere." McKenzie challenged.  
  
"Right, well.do you have a favorite spot here?" Harrison asked kicking rocks as he walked.  
  
" There is this old bridge. My mom and your dad used to go there all the time." McKenzie said softly staring into the moonlight.  
  
Harrison just starred at her. The way the moonlight hit her face and hair made her seem to glow.  
  
"Sure, that sounds great." Harrison said averting his eyes forward as she moved from the moonlight.  
  
" Okay, just follow me." McKenzie stated heading off towards the woods.  
  
" I am, trust me." Harrison said smirking.  
  
A few minutes later they arrived at the beloved bridge. So many memories were held there, and the quietness only added to its enchantment.  
  
" This is it." McKenzie said gazing at the bridge she'd come to love.  
  
" Wow, it's beautiful here." Harrison said sitting down on the bridge and dangling his legs over the water.  
  
" Yeah, it is." McKenzie said sitting next to him.  
  
" So, do you have a lot of friends here?" Harrison asked.  
  
" Not really. I don't talk much to people I don't know. Besides, most of the teens here are too what's the word.um.pathetic. They don't seem to care about things that really seem to matter. Popularity and joy rides are pretty much the highlights of their lives." McKenzie said trying to express her words gently.  
  
" Ahh I understand. My dad and I live in Boston. The kids there are pretty much the same, if not worse. I only have one true friend there, her name is Yvette." Harrison said throwing a rock across the water.  
  
" Oh, that must be nice." McKenzie said, trying to hide the tinge of jealousy that resulted from hearing of Harrison's best friend being a girl.  
  
" Yeah, she's cool. So, do you have a boyfriend?" Harrison asked, hoping in a way that she said no.  
  
" No, I don't. I used to go out with this guy named Ben, but that didn't work out at all." McKenzie answered. " What about you? Do you have a someone special?"  
  
" Um." Harrison started, while McKenzie immediately began to shrink inside at the thought of him being taken. " I kind of do. It's weird to explain. It's actually Yvette. We'd been friends forever and just recently we started dating. I don't know though, it doesn't seem true to me though."  
  
" Oh." McKenzie said. " You know, I think I'd better go home now. Are you staying at the Inn?"  
  
" Yeah." Harrison started to say, noticing something was bothering her.  
  
" Okay, then bye." McKenzie said walking off. ' He's taken.' She thought, ' oh well.' She said as a tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away, ' Don't cry over him, there was nothing there to cry about anyways.' She said sadly as she walked off into the pale moonlight. 


	5. Someday when I'm awfully low and the wor...

Disclaimer- The title of this song is not mine, I forget who sings it, but I will put it out there that I am not responsible for the ingenuity behind this lyric! ***********************  
  
" So, this place gets you too huh?" A voice asked as it approached from the dark to Harrison who still sat alone on the bridge.  
  
" Yeah, I guess it does." Harrison stated looking up at his dad.  
  
" Where's McKenzie?"  
  
" She left."  
  
" Really Einstein I had no idea.where?" Jess stated sitting next to his son.  
  
" She said she had to get back home." Harrison said staring off into the dark. Jess knew that stare, the stare of loneliness and sadness. The stare that seemed to say, ' what did I do to make you leave?' He knew that stare well, 'cause that was stare he used a lot when Rory used to run off leaving Jess wondering what the hell he did wrong.  
  
" What happened?" Jess asked. He didn't know why he asked that, because he used to hate it when Luke asked it.  
  
" We were talking, I asked her if she has a boyfriend, she said no. Then she asked me and I told her I did. Then she became odd and left." Harrison said turning his eyes down to his hands.  
  
" Ahh I see. You know, I think she thought you liked her." Jess said putting his arm around Harrison's shoulder.  
  
" I do." Harrison simply responded.  
  
" What about Yvette?" Jess asked.  
  
" I don't know. What do I do dad?" Harrison asked helplessly.  
  
" Son, you've known Yvette for such along time that it would be bad to ruin your friendship." Jess stated.  
  
" I know." Harrison started to say but was interrupted.  
  
" But on the other hand. I know how it feels to love someone so deeply you'd do anything for her. I know how it feels to not be able to hold the one person you love the most and tell her that everything will be okay. I don't want you to know that though, so what should you do you ask me? I think you should go fetch that brunette who is probably a bundle of tears right about now." Jess stated gently.  
  
" You're right, okay.I'll see you back at the inn." Harrison said standing up. Just before he disappeared into the night he stopped and turned, " Hey dad, that someone wasn't mom was it?" With that he left, leaving Jess alone to himself. Jess sat there and thought about what his son had just said. ' Rory.' Gosh, just the thought of her excited him, but it was too late. He knew he missed the opportunity years ago, he knew it could never be the way he wanted it to be. Jess felt a tear roll down his cheek. He brushed it away. ' Don't lose your composure man.' He thought to himself. ' Let go of the past.' 


	6. thrift stores, polka dots, and Lorelei

A/N- YAY! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! Thanks to indigo-chica, tigress33, dodgerluv, RunnerNDA, laydee20, Christina, starbelly, and the three anonymous reviewers for your support so far on my fic!  
  
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That evening Harrison tried desperately to get McKenzie to talk to him, but with no avail he walked to the inn and once in his room fell into a restless sleep. The next day he awoke to a note on the bathroom door from his dad.  
  
Harry, I went to the diner. I was too hungry to wait for you. Sorry, meet me there whenever you get your lazy butt up.  
  
Dad  
  
" Wow, eleven." Harrison said to after looking at the alarm clock on the night table.  
  
Quickly Harrison showered, dressed into a pair of fitted worn jeans bought at a local thrift store, short white form-fitting soccer t-shirt, and gray Velcro shoes that cost $9.95 at Wal-mart. After fixing his hair, he grabbed his keys, locked the room door, and headed down to the parking lot. On the drive to the dinner, he listened to Bad Astronaut and thought about McKenzie.  
  
' How am I going to make her understand?' he thought. ' I can't loose her, I won't loose her.'  
  
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" MOM! LUKES! NOW!" McKenzie cried up the stairs to her mom. Her grandmother who heard from the bathroom upstairs came running down the stairs.  
  
" YAY! Lukey's here we come!" Lorelei exclaimed bouncing up and down like a ten year old. Rory and McKenzie lived with their grandmother in the Gilmore house in Stars Hollow. After the divorce, Rory moved back in with her best friend for support and comfort. She didn't want to be anywhere than home, and Stars Hollow was home.  
  
" Grandma, where is mom?" McKenzie asked impatiently.  
  
" She's coming, she was brushing her teeth. She's very set on making sure her teeth are whiter than the polka dots on your Aunt Etna's horrifying dress." Lorelei said grabbing a pop tart out of the pantry.  
  
" Why are you eating? We're going to Luke's for lunch." McKenzie asked her crazy grandmother.  
  
" Because my dear, that way I can go through this long, drawn-out, painful run through of what I want to eat, make Luke extra irritable and then end up not finishing what I had ordered, which will really set Luke off." Lorelei said humming a tune not known to McKenzie.  
  
" Your evil." McKenzie said shaking her head and smirking.  
  
" I know, I know." Lorelei said placing a hand on McKenzie's shoulder and nodding her head.  
  
" Okay you two, let's go." Rory said waltzing down the stairs.  
  
" Geez mom, spend enough time in the bathroom?" McKenzie asked hopping into the back seat of the car.  
  
" Hey, who's driving?" Rory stated smiling at her daughter through the rear- view mirror.  
  
" Hey I wonder if that handsome young son of Jess' will be there?" Lorelei said winking at her granddaughter.  
  
" Mom." Rory said when she saw the look on McKenzie's face.  
  
" What?! What did I do now?!" Lorelei asked dramatically. 


	7. are you sure

A/N- Okay first of all, to dodgerluv, I can see how it would be gross to have Rory and Jess together and McKenzie and Harrison together, but no fear. Those weren't my intentions at all when I started this story. Jess and Rory will always be close, but for this story they remain just close friends. Jess and Rory realize that.  
  
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" Jess tell me the truth, are you still after Rory?" Luke asked his nephew who was sitting at the counter at the dinner.  
  
" Luke, I'm not. We're over, we've moved on. I'm happy that we're friends, and honestly, I think I like being just friends. I mean years ago I would've told you about my undying love for Rory, but now, I see that friendship is the best thing for us right now and forever." Jess said sipping his orange juice.  
  
" Okay, just checking." Luke said disappearing into the kitchen.  
  
" Hey dad." Harrison said bursting through the dinner door.  
  
" Hey Harry."  
  
" Dad, I need to ask you a question." Harrison said sitting next to his dad.  
  
" Shoot."  
  
" Okay, did you really love mom? I mean, I've been thinking about that a lot this morning." Harrison asked lowering his head.  
  
" Son, I loved your mother so much. I still love her. Why are you asking this?" Jess asked shocked.  
  
" 'Cause, it just seems like you love Rory more."  
  
" Harrison, Rory and I go way back. We used to have this thing, and yes I used to love her. Does she still make me happy? Yes, because we're great friends. That's all, she'll tell you the same thing. Your mother means the world to me. Even after her death, I don't see how I could ever love any women more than her. I don't think I even loved Rory as much as I loved and still love your mom."  
  
" Are you sure? You're not just saying that?"  
  
" I am very sure. I wouldn't lie to you son." Jess said standing up.  
  
" Okay." Harrison said standing up too.  
  
A/N- I know that was really short, but I just wanted to clear up the air about Rory/Jess.I am a total Rory/Jess fan all the way, but I wanted to try something different! So sorry for those who were pulling for Jess and Rory to get together. ( 


	8. smiling

Disclaimer- I don't own Roxy or hip huggers or anything but the idea behind this fic. *****************************  
  
McKenzie walked in with her grandmother and mom, wearing a pair of hip hugger jeans, a Roxy t-shirt, and a pair of tan sandals. She immediately noticed Harrison staring at her and turned her head. ' Why did he have to look at her with those eyes!' she thought.  
  
" McKenzie, we need to talk." Harrison said approaching McKenzie who sat at a table facing the window.  
  
" Why?" McKenzie asked, trying to sound all cool and confident, but with no luck.  
  
" McKenzie, I haven't stopped thinking about you. I know I told you about Yvette, but.I don't care for her like I do for you. You mean everything to me, don't walk away, I.I love you." Harrison said pouring his heart out in front of everyone in the diner.  
  
" Do you really mean that?" McKenzie asked skeptically.  
  
" Yes, every word." Harrison stated smiling.  
  
" Okay.I love you too." McKenzie said smiling. Harrison hugged McKenzie so hard that she started begging for air while laughing.  
  
" Sorry." Harrison said smiling as he set McKenzie on to her feet.  
  
" So is all good?" Jess asked as he came over with coffee for the Gilmore's.  
  
" Yup, all is good." McKenzie said still smiling.  
  
" I'm glad for you two." Jess said patting Harrison on the back.  
  
" You know that we have to go back to Boston tomorrow though, right Harrison?" Jess asked.  
  
" Yeah.I know. McKenzie will write me and I'll right her. We can see each other maybe on weekends too." (Okay is this possible? Where is Stars Hollow even? Haha)  
  
" Yes, and you can come stay with us in the summer." Rory said smiling.  
  
" I'd like that." Harrison stated smiling at McKenzie. 


	9. caught up in the moment

A/N- Okay, I've gotten a few reviews that say it's weird and all to have Harrison and McKenzie announce their love for one another after knowing each other only for a short time, and I totally understand where you're coming from. Hopefully this chapter will clarify some.. I hope.  
  
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That night Rory and McKenzie sat on the couch watching The Royal Tenenbaums. (Great movie by the way, I highly recommend it, if you like indie flicks)  
  
" Honey." Rory said as she paused the movie much to McKenzie's dismay.  
  
" Yeah?" McKenzie asked turning her attention to her mom.  
  
" I was thinking of this morning at the diner and.well.I'm happy for you and Harrison, I truly am, its just..don't you think you two are rushing things?" Rory asked gently.  
  
" What do you mean?" McKenzie asked puzzled.  
  
" Well, you two seemed to say you loved one another pretty quickly, maybe too soon even." Rory stated.  
  
" I." McKenzie started to say.  
  
" Was caught up in the moment?" Rory interrupted.  
  
" Yeah, I guess I was. Mom, I don't want to hurt Harrison by telling I don't really love him yet. What do I do?" McKenzie asked desperately. (You know I started thinking about the fact that they did say they loved one another quickly, and it DID seem unrealistic, so thanks to all of ya who gave me constructive criticism, much thanks!)  
  
" Honey, first of all, make sure you mean what you say before you say it. Love isn't something you fool around with. When you say you love someone it should be true, genuine, and from your heart. Now, I think the best thing to do here is to go talk to Harrison before he leaves tomorrow." Rory said stroking her daughter's hair.  
  
" You're right mom, thanks. I'm gonna go to the inn and talk to him right now. Is that okay?" McKenzie asked.  
  
" Yeah, be back by eleven though." Rory said as she watched her daughter pull on her shoes and walk out the door.  
  
" Oh to be young." Rory said softly as she started the movie.  
  
McKenzie walked up to the receptionist desk at the Inn.  
  
" Excuse me ma'am. I was wondering what room Harrison Mariano is staying in?" McKenzie asked the tall thin woman who stood staring at her like she had three heads.  
  
" McKenzie, what are you doing here?" A voice asked. McKenzie spun around to find Jess standing by the steps with a bucket of ice.  
  
" Oh, I was here to talk to Harrison. May I?"  
  
" Sure, come on up. He's reading right now, but he won't mind being interrupted." Jess said smiling as McKenzie followed him up to his room.  
  
" Harrison, McKenzie is here to see you." Jess said walking into the small kitchen in the room as he passed Harrison who was sprawled out on the bed reading.  
  
" Hey, what's up?" Harrison asked sitting up on the bed.  
  
" Um, can we go somewhere and talk?" McKenzie asked.  
  
" Sure, hey dad we're going to go down to the lobby, we'll be back soon." Harrison called to Jess.  
  
" Okay." Jess responded.  
  
Once the two reached the lobby McKenzie began talking.  
  
" Harrison, I need to let you know something."  
  
" Okay, what?" Harrison asked as he sat on one of the overstuffed couches.  
  
" This morning when I told you, well when you told me that you loved me and then I said that.I love you too, well, I don't think I really meant that." McKenzie babbled nervously and immediately noticed Harrison's expression tense a bit.  
  
" You don't love me?"  
  
" You see, I care for you a lot, and I do love being with you, it's just, I think, no I know I was just caught up in the moment. Please don't be mad. I just need some time to get to know you better." McKenzie stated in one breathe.  
  
Harrison began standing up.  
  
" McKenzie it's okay, whatever time you need you take. Who knows, maybe we'll be great friends just like our parents, I'm not mad." Harrison stated hugging McKenzie.  
  
" Harrison, if it's God's will for us to be together, than it will happen. I think it's better for both of us to get to know one another first." McKenzie stated once they stopped hugging.  
  
" I agree. You better get home, I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow?" Harrison asked.  
  
" Yeah, I'll be there." McKenzie said smiling. 


End file.
